A witch’s best friend

Let’s talk mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris). It is, after all, a witch’s best friend.

You can use it in spells, to dress candles, create oils, to cleanse energy, and more.

This plant has silvery-green foliage and small purple flowers. It’s pretty unassuming, yet thousands of old spells and recipes rely on its power.

It repels evil spirits, negative energies, ghosts – and mosquitoes. It’s known for lucid dreams, divination, strengthening psychic abilities and intuition, and for its connection to the moon and the goddess Artemis.

Protection

There are a million ways to use mugwort to protect your home and yourself.

  1. Sweep your house from back to front, sweeping all dust and debris out the front door. Add a bit of mugwort to clean water and mop. Then wipe down your front door.
  2. If you have carpeting, vacuum from the back of the house to the front. Combine some dried mugwort and sea salt, and ask the herb and salt to clear and keep away any evil energy. Sprinkle it over your carpets. Allow it to sit for a few minutes, then vacuum again.
  3. Hang a bunch of fresh mugwort over your front door or smudge your home with a mugwort wand to help keep negative energies from trying to enter.
  4. You can even use a mugwort oil, like our Beyond the Veil roll-on, to protect yourself.

Divination

Mugwort is a powerful ally for divination.

Many people who practice scrying with bowls, mirrors, or crystal balls wash their tools in a tea made by steeping dried mugwort in water.

Even if you use tarot cards, runes or other divination tools, you can burn a mugwort bundle to help heighten your psychic abilities and enhance your intuition.

Mugwort has a long history of magical use and is generally very safe. However, if you use this herb often, take breaks of about a week or so to allow your body to rest.

If you are pregnant or nursing, do not use mugwort.

This herb is sacred and powerful, and it should be treated with respect. Try working with it, and see what doors it can open for you.

Check out our Witchy Women Magic Shoppe for all your metaphysical and divination needs. Not sure what you need or where to begin? Reach out. becky(at)rebeccatdickson(dot)com

How to Manifest with the Moon

The moon holds tremendous power.

Harnessing that energy at the right time and for the right spells and manifestations brings incredible results.

When we do this, we are working with natural forces to call in what we want most – whether it’s love, business, money or anything else.

When you commit to learning how to manifest with the moon, you ultimately live more in sync with your natural environment and with your truth as a woman.

But let’s be real.

While the moon has its magic, manifestation is a process.

What you want doesn’t arrive overnight. It takes time – and it’s your job to trust the timing.

Tuning into the phases of the moon gives us a framework that empowers us.

One of the best ways to connect with the moon and start leveraging its energy is with a moon ritual.

The Modern Moon Ritual

Moon rituals are an ancient practice that originated in Egypt, where moon worship was a part of the culture.

The phases of the moon influence the growth or decline of plants, animals and human life. So basking in the moonlight was seen as a necessary part of every cycle.

Today, moon rituals carry just as much sacredness, something we desperately need to ground and center (and get off the electronics).

The beautiful thing about rituals, especially those related to the moon, is they invite you to get quiet. They ask you to plant seeds of intention, and be one with the energy of our environment.

The moon has 8 phases. But the most potent are the new moon and the full moon.

The New Moon

During this phase, the moon and the sun align. This is the time to go within:

  • Setting new intentions
  • Starting new manifestations
  • Create and plan to draw things to you and build up to something

The Waxing Crescent Moon

The days that follow a new moon are a waxing crescent. This is a time to anchor into your intentions. Focus on one thing you want to bring into existence.

  • Practice visualization.
  • Write out a new moon intention and read it every day.

The Waxing Quarter Moon (Also known as the First Quarter)

This is a time to look at the challenges you face and make decisions about how you want to move forward. This is the time of the moon cycle when the sun and the moon square each other, meaning they form a 90-degree angle. Looking at your challenges allows you to see the issues full on. Then you can adjust your plans accordingly.

  • Find workarounds
  • Commit to moving forward

The Waxing Gibbous Moon

Here we have a high energy time, just before the full moon. This offers perspective. Things should start to feel like they are aligning. This is the time to ramp up your energy.

  • Take massive action
  • Go after it with your whole heart

The Full Moon

Full moons are great for release and introspection. When the moon is full, we are at a peak of creative energy and often have powerful intuitive breakthroughs. The full moon accentuates everything you’ve been working on during the waxing phase. Take time to reflect.

  • Power
  • Blessings
  • Harvesting
  • Charge up your energy

The Waning Gibbous Moon

After the full moon, it’s time to consider what you need to release. Reflect on what may be blocking you from receiving the outcome you want. Pay attention to any energetic leaks or roadblocks.

  • Release what doesn’t serve you (emotions, beliefs, ideas, and sometimes relationships)
  • Become introspective

The Waning Quarter Moon

Waning means less powerful. This is when the moon continues to shrink in the sky. It’s a call to go further within and seek answers. Become more committed to yourself during this phase. Emotions can often be encrypted with messages during this time: Where do you need to speak up or perhaps make changes?

  • transition
  • readjustment
  • evaluate

The Waning Crescent Moon

This is the final phase of the entire moon cycle. It occurs just before the next new moon. Here’s your opportunity to reflect back on the whole lunar cycle.

  • What did you learn?
  • What happened?
  • What didn’t?
  • Reread your new moon intention and evaluate how you’ve changed since you wrote it.
  • Consider how you want to reorganize for the next new moon.

A New Moon Ritual

The new moon is a blank page. A fresh start, a moment to turn inward and consider what we want to call into our lives and what we need to let go of. It’s a time for rest and reflection, so the perfect ritual would be in the comfort of your own home.

How to Begin:

1. Set the environment

Before starting any ritual, clean and organize your space. Ditch clutter. I like to burn sage, light candles and clear energy.

2. Craft a connection to the divine

Call upon a connection to the source energy you feel supports you the most: guides, angels, or any divine entity.

3. Sit comfortably and write

Grab paper and write down the things in your life you either wish to call in or are ready to release. This could be certain feelings, fears, or barriers—anything you know is not serving you. Then consider what you want to call into your life. This could be a relationship, more more, more clients, an international trip.

4. Declare

The next step is to read what you want out loud. Speaking them out loud plays a BIG role in bringing them to life. You may notice they evoke even more emotion when spoken, and that feeling is critical to manifestation.

5. Meditate and complete

Now that you’ve let go and made space for what you truly desire, sit quietly, follow your breath and visualize your desires coming to fruition.

Set the intention to stay open to these experiences coming into your life, and any other growth opportunities you may need along the way.

A Full Moon Ritual

When the full moon arrives, it’s time to create space to take stock of what has and hasn’t come to fruition just yet.

A full moon ritual is a time to get quiet, reflect, give thanks and celebrate. Unlike the new moon, the full moon represents completeness and brings with it a lot of energy.

Here’s how to approach your ritual:

1. Be calm.

By starting from a place of calm, you can harness the full moon energy to your benefit. Take a few cleansing breaths, sage your space and chill.

2. Write it out

Reflect on the past few weeks. What went on? Were there successes? What did you bump up against? Where do you see opportunities for growth and expansion?

3. Release and Declare

Once you’ve clarified what’s come to fruition and what hasn’t, write down and release what is getting in the way of the experiences that haven’t arrived yet. I like to burn the list – in a safe way!

4. Self-care

Dance, bathe, nap, sweep it off, get it out.

Move any stagnant energy out of your body and bring more lightness and joy inside.

Carving out space during both moon phases to go inward and take stock of what’s showing up for you, creates the opportunity to create intentions and find rhythmicity in your own life.

Moon Magic

Commit to at least three months of moon rituals for best results.

Want to learn more about how to manifest with the moon and live your best life? Check out Witchy Women I. This is a six-week program where you step into your magic, take control of your power and truly perform witchcraft that works.